Reclaim the Records Needs Us Again

We always try to help our friends at this wonderful organization because they are fighting our battles for us all over the United States. We've written about Reclaim the Records many times, and for those of you just joining us, let us introduce you to one of the most vibrant and hardworking of genealogy organizations. This not-for-profit group of genealogists and lawyers goes head-to-head with governmental agencies over and over again to keep public records public, prevent bureaucrats from denying vital records to genealogists and historians, and ensure that Freedom of Information Act requests are granted as they should be everywhere. It's a hard job, and they rely on all of us to help them, since they are doing it for us.

The newest newsletter from Reclaim the Records (RTR) tells of their ongoing struggle with the state of Massachusetts, where the Department of Public Health has kept a stranglehold on records that should be made public. For the past two years, RTR has worked with the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records, which has repeatedly rejected excuses from the Dept. of Public Health as to why the records cannot be publicly available. Some records have come forth, although they have not been processed for online access yet, but recently a proposal has been buried inside a budget bill that would "potentially close down access to certified copies (which have always been open to the public in Massachusetts) and all the indexes (which are also open to the public.)"

This budget bill, H.5377, proposes to close uncertified birth and marriage records for ninety years and death records for fifty years. That's probably in keeping with many other states, but the bill would also give the Dept. of Public Health "sweeping power to decide who has a 'legitimate need' to see vital records at all."

If you live in Massachusetts, have ancestors that lived or died in Massachusetts, or care about the future of vital records, this is the time to make your voice heard. You can write a note to Governor Maura Healey (details on how to contact her office on the state's website). Or, you can contact any of these members of the Committee on Public Health:

• Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means
• Aaron.M.Michlewitz@mahouse.gov
• Senator Michael Rodrigues, Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means:
• Michael.Rodrigues@masenate.gov
• Senator William Driscoll, Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Public Health
• William.Driscoll@masenate.gov
• Representative Marjorie Decker, House Chair, joint Committee on Public Health
• Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov

But I have no ancestors in Massachusetts; why should I care?

Each time a state locks down its public records, it sets precedence for other states to follow. We in Missouri have been lucky thus far, but the myth about identities being stolen from vital records persists, and new laws are being introduced to limit access all the time. Even if you have little interest in what happens in Massachusetts, be aware that the very same thing could happen in any state, and Reclaim the Records will be there to fight as long as we support them.

More on Reclaim the Records

Reclaim the Records website: https://www.reclaimtherecords.org/ (Donations gratefully accepted! This is expensive and time-consuming work.)

Previous StLGS News Flash posts featuring Reclaim the Records activities:

• https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2020/02/reclaim-records-genealogy-group-worth.html
• https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2023/10/newly-revised-missouri-birth-and-death.html
• https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2023/09/another-victory-for-reclaim-records.html
• https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2025/12/kudos-to-reclaim-records-once-again-for.html
• https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2025/01/reclaim-records-scores-another-victory.html